At the risk of sounding sickeningly Pollyanna-ish, I am a great believer in looking for the up side to situations and life events. When I was diagnosed diabetic earlier this year it was quite a shock; I now have a condition that will be with me for life and requires managing carefully in order to maintain my health.
I am dealing with it though,
and it was a great comfort to finally understand why I had been feeling so exhausted and why my hands and feet were freezing so much of the time. This also meant that I now had the perfect excuse to indulge my sock knitting habit and that's exactly what I am doing!
Here's most of the pairs I've made for myself this year so far. I had one more but to be honest I made them a bit too big so ended up giving them to Vincent who, since he started wearing them, now understands why I like handknit socks so much.
The orange and brown pairs are from commercial patterns, the other three are ones I designed myself.
Yes that's right, I am expanding my empire! Alright we're not talking on the scale of Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan, but I have just opened a second shop on Etsy. It's for my handmade knitwear and other textile type goodies. Eventually I hope to have hand painted yarns and possibly quilted items in there too, as well as Blythe outfits, so there's lots more to come! Please take a peek and see what you think: Creative Deva Designs
Much as I hate to admit it, I have a very low boredom threshold and need to be constantly trying new creative paths.
Well if you've followed this blog for any length of time I guess that's stating the bleedin' obvious, but anyway...
Last week I was at the wonderful Festival of Quilts in Birmingham which my daughter and I have been going to pretty much since it started a few years ago. Even if you don't make quilts and never intend to, it's a wonderful event filled with a huge variety of traditional and art quilts from all over the world and well worth seeing. And of course there is a market section where you can find all manner of supplies you almost need and therefore have to buy.
My new toy was a bunch of acid dyes. I have a whole pile of lovely 4ply blue-faced Leicester cones of undyed yarn and a burning desire to do some hand painting, so yesterday I had my first go and this is the result. I think I could quite easily become addicted to this as there is always a slightly random or surprise element to dyeing, especially as some of the colours don't reveal themselves until after the yarn has been heat set. Anyway I'm quite happy so far, now all I need to do is think what I'm going to knit with it! Any ideas?
This pattern for summer socks has been proving quite popular on Ravelry so I thought I'd put it on here for anyone who isn't a member but might like to knit it. What makes them summer socks? Well the yarn I used is a mixture of wool and bamboo fibre, which is cool to the touch and much better for warm weather than pure wool.
Tutti Frutti Summer Socks
Cool to the foot ankle socks made with gorgeously soft bamboo yarn in a riot of summer berry colours.
The instructions are for cuff down socks using the magic loop method which is by far my preferred method of working in the round. If you’ve never tried it before please do, it’s surprisingly easy! There’s a great video tutorial here: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/advanced-techniques
Materials and Measurements
2 x 50g balls Regia Bamboo Sockwool in Passion 1065
1 40-inch circular needle size 2.25mm, or size required to achieve gauge.
3 stitch markers
Tapestry/wool needle
Gauge
32 stitches to 4”(10 cm) on 2.25mm needles
Size
Medium (adjustable)
Pattern Notes
Interrupted Rib
Rows 1 – 4
*K4, P2; repeat from * to end
Rows 5 & 6
*K4, P8; repeat from * to end
Rows 7 – 10
As 1st row
Rows 11 & 12
*P6, K4, P2; repeat from * to end
Instructions
Cast on 60 sts and divide so that there are 30 sts on each needle with the cable loop between the two sets of stitches.
Join, making sure not to twist the stitches, and knit 10 rows
Change to Interrupted Rib stitch and work until leg measures approx. 4” (10cm) - more if you prefer a longer leg – and ending on the 6th row of the pattern.
To centre the stitch pattern before beginning the heel flap work as follows:
Needle 1: slip last stitch from needle 2 up onto needle 1 - this is now the first (purl) stitch on needle 1. Work to the end of needle 1 then move the last purl stitch on this needle onto needle 2.
30 stitches on each needle.
Heel Flap (worked over 30 stitches)
Work the heel flap back and forth over half the stitches as follows:
Row 1
[Sl1, K1] repeat to end
Row 2
Sl1, P to end
Repeat rows 1 & 2 until flap measures 2.75” (7cm)
Turn Heel
Row 1
Sl1, K17, SSK, K1, turn
Row 2
Sl1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn
Row 3
Sl1, K to 1 stitch before the gap, SSK, K1, turn
Row 4
Sl1, P to 1 stitch before the gap, P2tog, P1, turn
Repeat rows 3 & 4 until all the sts have been worked and 16 sts remain.
Gussets
On needle 1:
knit half the heel stitches and place marker. This point will be the start of the round from now on.
Next row (still on needle 1):
knit across the heel stitches. Pick up 1 st in each slipped stitch along the side of the heel flap plus 1 st between the heel flap and instep join. (23 sts picked up)
Place stitch marker.
Work across the 15 instep stitches in the pattern as set.
Note: from hereon you will be purling 1 stitch at each end of the instep.
On needle 2:
work across remaining 15 instep stitches and place marker.
Pick up and knit 1 st between the instep and heel flap join and 1 st in each slipped stitch along the other side of the heel flap. (23sts picked up)
Knit half the heel stitches.
(96 sts total)
Knit 1 row, remembering to work the instep stitches in the pattern set.
Now begin the gusset decreases:
Next row:
Knit until 3 stitches before the marker, K2tog, K1, slip marker, work instep stitches in pattern, slip marker, K1, SSK, K to end. (2 sts decreased)
Repeat this row until until you have 60 sts remaining: 30 sts for instep and 30 sts for the sole.
Rearrange stitches so that the instep stitches are on needle 1, and the sole stitches are on needle 2. Remove all markers.
Foot
Continue in rounds, working the instep stitches in the fleck stitch pattern and knitting the sole stitches until the foot measures 6.5” (16.5cm) from the back heel or approx. 2” (5cm) less than the length of your foot from heel to toe.
Shape Toe
Row 1:
K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts on needle 1, K2tog K1, K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts on needle 2, K2tog, K1.
Row 2:
K to end
Repeat rows 1 & 2 until 8 sts remain on each needle, 16 sts in total.
Finishing
Graft toe stitches together and weave in all ends.
Copyright Francesca Burras 2008. For non-commercial use only.
I have been knitting since I was about 15. Well no, actually that's not really true. I had a long break of about 25 years when I did no knitting at all, but last year I rediscovered it when I wanted a wrap and couldn't find what I was looking for anywhere. Of course I'd given my humungous collection of needles, stitch markers, darners etc to the charity shop long ago and had not a scrap of yarn in the house, so I had to begin again from scratch. And it occurred to me, not for the first time, that nothing is ever really wasted and nothing is ever really forgotten.Knitting has apparently been quite trendy again for a number of years, but non-fashion follower that I am, I wasn't aware that it had been away. When I joined Ravelry in April I was immediately struck by how much has changed since my first incarnation as a knitter back in the early 70s. For a start there is a dazzling range of fibres available now, in an equally dazzling range of colours. Knitting needles are works of art in themselves. Patterns exist for just about anything you might conceivably want to create and a lot that you, by which I mean I, might not (knitted uterus, anyone?) It is a great time to be enjoying my own personal knitting renaissance and I suppose I just want to say, if you've ever thought about it taking it up yourself but haven't done so yet, well delay no longer! Apply for an invite to Ravelry and get stuck in with the sticks. And when you're in come by and say Hi to me - I'm dancing-girl on there too.
My first time writing a knitting pattern. I've designed things before but never tried producing a pattern for others to follow so I hope this is comprehensible!Thea’s Blackberry Socks
These socks were originally designed for my daughter. I wanted to make her something feminine but also practical, so they have a pretty scalloped cuff edge combined with a simple fleck stitch pattern for maximum wearability.
The instructions are for cuff down socks using the magic loop method which is by far my preferred method of working in the round. If you’ve never tried it before please do, it’s surprisingly easy! There’s a great video tutorial here: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/advanced-techniques Materials and Measurements
100g Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in Blackberry or any fine fingering/4ply yarn of your choice.
1 40-inch circular needle size 2.25mm, or size required to achieve gauge.
3 stitch markers
Tapestry/wool needle
Gauge
34 stitches to 4”(10 cm) on 2.25mm needles
Size
Medium (adjustable)
Pattern Notes
The scalloped edge is worked over 3 rows back and forth and only joined when the rib cuff is begun. Because of this there will be a slight gap between the first and last scallops. This is easily tidied up at the end with a couple of stitches (I use the cast-on tail to sew it up).
Scallop Edging
Row 1 (WS)
Purl
Row 2
K2, *K1 and slip stitch back to Left Hand needle, lift next 8 sts on LH needle over this stitch and off needle, YO twice, K first stitch again, K2; repeat from * to end.
Row 3
K1, *P2tog, drop extra YO loop, [K1, K1tbl] twice in YO, P1; repeat from * to last stitch, K1.
Fleck Stitch Pattern
Rows 1 & 2
Knit
Row 3
K1, P1 to end
Row 4
Knit
Instructions
Cast on 123 sts and work the Scallop Edging as described above. After the third row you will be left with 68sts.
Knit 1 row straight, then divide stitches so that there are 34 on each needle with the cable loop between the two sets of stitches.
Join, making sure not to twist the edging, and work cuff in K1, P1 rib for 14 rounds or until it is your preferred length.
Change to Fleck Stitch and work 8 repeats of the pattern as set, more if you prefer a longer leg.
Heel Flap (worked over 34 stitches)
Work the heel flap back and forth over half the stitches as follows:
Row 1
[Sl1, K1] repeat to end
Row 2
Sl1, P to end
Repeat rows 1 & 2 16 times more or until flap measures 2.5” (6.5cm)
Turn Heel
Row 1
Sl1, K19, SSK, K1, turn
Row 2
Sl1, P7, P2tog, P1, turnRow 3
Sl1, K to 1 stitch before the gap, SSK, K1, turn
Row 4
Sl1, P to 1 stitch before the gap, P2tog, P1, turn
Repeat rows 3 & 4 until all the sts have been worked and 20 sts remain.
Gussets
On needle 1:
knit half the heel stitches and place marker. This point will be the start of the round from now on.
Next row (still on needle 1):
knit across the heel stitches. Pick up 1 st in each slipped stitch along the side of the heel flap plus 1 st between the heel flap and instep join. (20 sts picked up)
Place stitch marker.
Work across the 17 instep stitches in the fleck pattern as set.
On needle 2:
work across remaining 17 instep stitches and place marker.
Pick up and knit 1 st between the instep and heel flap join and 1 st in each slipped stitch along the other side of the heel flap.
Knit half the heel stitches. (94 sts total)
Knit 1 row, remembering to work the instep stitches in the pattern set.
Now begin the gusset decreases:
Next row:
Knit until 3 stitches before the marker, K2tog, K1, slip marker, work instep stitches in pattern, slip marker, K1, SSK, K to end. (2 sts decreased)
Repeat this row until until you have 68 sts remaining: 34 sts for instep and 34 sts for the sole.
Rearrange stitches so that the instep stitches are on needle 1, and the sole stitches are on needle 2. Remove all markers.
Foot
Continue in rounds, working the instep stitches in the fleck stitch pattern and knitting the sole stitches until the foot measures 6.5” (16.5cm) from the back heel or approx. 2” (5cm) less than the length of your foot from heel to toe.
Shape Toe
Row 1:
K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts on needle 1, K2tog K1, K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts on needle 2, K2tog, K1.
Row 2:
K to end
Repeat rows 1 & 2 until 22 sts remain on each needle, 44 sts in total, then repeat row 1 only until 8 sts remain on each needle, 16 sts in total.
Finishing
Graft toe stitches together and weave in all ends.
This pattern copyright Francesca Burras 2008. Not for commercial use.
At the risk of sounding sickeningly Pollyanna-ish, I am a great believer in looking for the up side to situations and life events. When I was diagnosed diabetic earlier this year it was quite a shock; I now have a condition that will be with me for life and requires managing carefully in order to maintain my health.
